Tag Archives: Some Like it Hot

This week’s shared topic at Blog Azeroth came from Ardol at World of Warcraft Philosophized who suggested people write about their favorite things. I really like this topic, but had some trouble deciding on a single category. I started a list of favorite movies, then books, then TV shows. Then I said to hell with it and decided to write about them all, so here are some of my mass media favorites.

Favorite Book

The Magus by John Fowles
This book is one big psychological game, and I love it. It deals with the themes of destiny vs. free will, reality vs. fiction and takes cues from mythology, philosophy and even Shakespeare. While the story itself can be a little convoluted, it’s written beautifully and is intriguing the whole way though. Every piece can be taken at face value (though I wouldn’t recommend it) or dissected endlessly to find hidden meanings. It’s one of those books that will mean different things to different people and I find that I pick up something new every time I read it.

Favorite Movie

Marilyn Monroe, mobsters and men in drag, what more could I ask for? If you haven’t seen this, I recommend you do so immediately. It was named the best American comedy film of all time by AFI for very good reasons. It also features the absolute best ending line I’ve ever heard.

Favorite Show

Twin PeaksThough its run was short, Twin Peaks was an excellent show with some of the most memorable characters and imagery I’ve seen in television. Every time I see a piece of cherry pie or drink a damn good cup of coffee, I think of Agent Cooper. Each episode veered wildly between melodrama, comedy and supernatural horror. One minute you were in a quaint diner in a sleepy little mountain town, the next you were in a surreal red room with a gyrating, backwards-speaking dwarf and a doppelganger or two. The series finale was the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen – but creepy in a fantastic way.

Disclaimer: When thinking about how great Twin Peaks is I mentally repress a few episodes from the middle of the second season.

Favorite Game

Okay, I lie. Planescape: Torment is my real favorite game, but I already wrote about that in another post. Right now I’m replaying Beyond Good and Evil and it is just as good as the first time I played it. The game play is solid, the story is strong and it actually has a relatable female lead. BG&E is one of the few games I’ve played that uses a photography mechanic successfully. In games like Dead Rising or Bioshock I think taking pictures is a little clunky and find that it takes away from the atmosphere. In BG&E it’s worked into the story and is enjoyable. Here’s hoping the sequel that’s been “in the works” for years is actually released.